However, some believe that the phrase originated at a later date: some machines from the early 1900s (including automobiles) relied on a type of chainwheel (called Zahnkranz in German) to increase or decrease their speed or gears. To increase the speed, one would have to switch to a higher gear using the gas clutch. The spikes on the chainwheel were referred to as “teeth,” and figuratively, adding “teeth” by moving the chainwheel would increase the speed.

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With 100 million native speakers, German is the most commonly-spoken language in Europe. Around the world, 14.5 million people are learning German as a foreign language today. There are many good reasons for studying German, and a large number of resources, online and offline, to help you gain fluency in the language of Goethe, Gauß, and Grönemeyer.